GAME PREVIEW: AMERKS LOOK TO SPOOK PHANTOMS ON SWEETS N’ SUITES NIGHT
Rochester enters tonight a perfect 4-0 on Friday’s, outscoring opponents 17-5
Oct 30, 2026By Griffin Della Penna | @GriffinDP_
Things get spooky tonight inside Blue Cross Arena as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (4-3-1-0) come to Western New York to take on the Rochester Americans (4-4-0-1) for Sweets N’ Suites night presented by Chick-fil-A Henrietta.
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Both teams come into this game on different trends, with the Amerks dropping three of the last four games while the Phantoms are winners in four of the last five. However, Lehigh Valley, making its lone visit of the season, should be frightened by how well Rochester plays when opening weekends, picking up all four wins this season on Friday’s, bolstering a plus-12 goal differential.
Rochester is coming off a valiant comeback attempt that came up short Wednesday inside Blue Cross Arena, losing 3-2 against the Hershey Bears. After falling back 3-0 less than 23 minutes into regulation, the Amerks responded with two goals of their own in the second period but couldn’t generate the offense needed in the final 20 with just four shots on goal in the frame. Following a 7-2 drubbing at PPL Center versus Syracuse, Lehigh Valley got back in the win column with a 2-0 final against Belleville on Sunday for the club’s first home win of the year.
As part of Halloween festivities, fans are encouraged to dress in their costumes for trick-or-treating at the suite level during intermissions. The first 1,000 fans under the age of 14 will receive an Amerks-themed tote bag to stash their sweet treats and 1,000 “Mini Moo” plushies will also be given away as you enter.
Puck drop for the first of two games in the season series is set for 7:05 p.m. with pregame coverage beginning on WGR Rochester and AHLTV on FloHockey at 7:00 p.m.
Here are some of the things to look out for before tonight’s midweek matchup:
PUCKS ON NET!
A large part of Amerks head coach Michael Leone’s offensive philosophy is getting a high volume of pucks on net. Most of the time they don’t even have to be high-danger chances, but creating rebounds get the defense out of the position and thus creates additional chaos in the offensive zone.
In his first two years on the bench, Rochester is in the top 10 in the AHL in shots on goal. That trend hasn’t continued so far through nine contests this season, with the Amerks sitting 22nd in the league with 27.1 shots per game.
Even when you break down shots on target, there is a relationship between high totals equaling wins compared to losses. The Amerks are averaging nearly 30 shots on goal in their four wins but just 25.4 in the five losses. Furthermore, in the recent four-game stretch, Rochester has generated 22.5 shots per game offensively.
You get the point, more shots generally give the red, white, and blue a better chance to earn a victory.
GOTTA GET THREE
These two teams have played one another just 20 times in the past decade, but a trend has been evident in that sample size. During 19 of the last 20 meetings, the winning team has scored three goals, including the Amerks registering a 5-1-1-2 record at home in that stretch.
Last December was the lone exception of the winner not reaching the three-goal mark, with Lehigh Valley earning a 2-1 shootout victory on Dec. 13, 2025, at Blue Cross Arena.
The Phantoms and Amerks both averaged over three goals per game, but offense has been harder to come by for Lehigh Valley with many recalls to Philadelphia. Leading scorer Alex Bump netted seven goals in just five games before being shipped to the City of Brotherly Love. Lehigh Valley is receiving reinforcements today, though, as Jacob Gaucher was reassigned from the Flyers on Thursday and has eight points (4+4) in seven AHL games.
FLIP ON SPECIAL TEAMS
Neither unit has been clicking at the same time in the early part of the year for Rochester. The power-play began the season with an outstanding 23.3% (7-30) success rate, and the team went 3-1-0-1 during that stretch. Conversely, in the recent 1-3-0-0 stretch, Rochester has gone just one for its last 17 on the man-advantage, with the lone marker coming last Friday in Syracuse from captain Matthew Peca and has given up a league high three shorthanded goals.
The penalty kill continues to rise in the AHL ranks, currently tied for the 11th with an 84.6% (33-39) success rate. Rochester’s PK has killed off its last 10 in a row and provided a boost in momentum during the recent comeback attempts. Additionally, the Amerks are second in the league only allowing one power-play goal in 17 attempts.